Fleur Di Lis

Chapter Nineteen

A glossy black SUV waited for us on the tarmac when the plane touched down on Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, almost two hours later.  After hearing about my dream, Nate had asked the pilot to divert the flight to the popular Atlanta Airport before he glued his cell phone to his ear in an attempt to arrange a meeting with the alpha of the white wolves, hoping that showing preparation -- mixed with a hint of desperation -- would go in our favour.  The frustrated look on his face after the call wasn't a positive sign, though he did manage to pinpoint the exact location of where the pack lived, thanks to Luca's knowledge of the pack itself.

It was a start, if nothing else. 

Once Nate had thanked the flight crew for their assistance, he got into the driver's seat of the SUV and whisked us away from the runway and onto the highway, heading towards the Chattahoochee Plantation, which was an hour's drive away from the airport; more since the weather was causing all kinds of disruption on the roads.  On the way, Nate explained that, because the plantation had once been the home of the biggest Native Indian tribe in America, it was a prime spot for naturalists like the white wolves to nest up there, what with all the 'spiritual energy' that had been left behind when the tribes were pushed out during the war.

"Did you meet any Indians?"  I asked.  "When you were a soldier?"

Nate nodded.  "Some."

"What were they like?"

"Some were friendly," Nate answered.  "Some were not.  I befriended most of them; learnt their ways. They appreciated that.  It's good to learn other people's cultures, where they came from.  Helps them to open up better.  Though, there were some I had to kill.  I'm not proud of that.  But, when you're fighting in a war like that, you're only concerned about one thing; do you save your own life or theirs?  In every scenario, I learnt that choosing to save your own life wasn't cowardly.  Sometimes, it was the only way.  At least I managed to get home in one piece and not die as a name on a wall."

"No," I smirked.  "You just became a vampire."

He chuckled.  "A rich one."

"With a psycho brother."

He grimaced.  "Every blessing has its curse, I suppose."

He wasn't wrong there.

After what seemed like an eternity due to the numerous traffic jams and roadworks, we stopped outside a plush Marriott hotel in Sandy Springs; just ten minutes from the forest where we knew the white wolves have set up camp.  Nate parked the car whilst I checked us in, and we were taken to the executive suite of the hotel, ten floors up.

Like the plane, the hotel room was utterly immaculate and huge.  It was decorated in mostly neutral colours with a splash of duck egg blue or bright orange in the cushions or the artwork.  There was a fully-stocked mini bar, a reasonably-sized kitchenette, amazing views of the town, and a bathtub that could fit my entire living room in it - twice!  Aside from the inviting bathtub, there was an entire wall dedicated to a shower cubicle, complete with the biggest shower head I've ever seen in my life.

"Wow," I mouthed, turning to Nate. 

He chuckled.  "I take it you're not used to all this?"

"Are you serious?  This place is twice the size of my apartment back home!"  I exclaimed.  "In fact, everywhere I've been these past few days has been bigger than my apartment, and five times the amount!  Maybe even more!  How the hell are you even used to this?"

"It does get monotonous after a while," Nate confided.  "Believe me."

I lowered down onto the plush sofa, letting out a contented sigh and crossing my legs underneath me.  "So, what now?"